The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-09-07
THE DRY HIDE woaM.u
An Insect Destroyer OF Boots and Shoes
Professor Rilcy's Report.

An Insect Destroyer OF Boots and Shoes
Professor Rilcy's Report.
In the last report Of the commissioner
Of agriculture, Professor Q. V. Riley
states that tho beetle known to science as
Dermestes vulpinus, and In its larval
state TO tanners as the "dry hide worm,'
came under his observation in 1884, for
tho first time, us destroyer OF boots and
shoes. The insect was first noticed In
the establishment Of wholesale manu-
facturer in st. Louis In the spring OF
1884, when lot of boots and shoes
which had been shipped to some South
ern town were returned condemned rs
"wormy." This led to an examination
of the stock In store, and the proprietor
found, to his establishment, that there
was justice In the complaints Of his Gus
toner, and that several boxes of heavy
boots and shoes which had been packed
for some time were literally swarming
with the insect in all stages of develop
ment. This was the first time that he
had ever known of the existence Of such
q pest.
About the same time the insects were
found in numerous leather houses
throughout the same city, and invaded
the manufactures. In the summer OF
1885 public attention was called to the
pest by various oral and exaggerated ac-
counts OF the "grub" that worked I'M
seen in the soles of shoes, reducing them
to mere shells, which crushed into frag-
ments when subjected to the pressure OF
tho foot in wearing.
Another case of the destructive action
If this same beetle was brought to Pro-
fessor Riley's attention at about the same
time by Mr.. F. Eisenstein, of Savannah,
Ca, whose firm had instituted a lawsuit
against the steamship company, by reason
Of damages done by the insect to boots
while In transit from Savannah to Boston.
In the st. Louis cases, none OF the deal
ers we're able to trace tho introduction OF
| the insect from any particular warehouse
on tannery, but learned from tanners that
f It was quite common In old hides.
In the warehouses and manufactures
| the insect still retained Its Partially for
unaressed feathers, and an examination
1t once shows that tho soles and heels OF
boots and shoes are more liable to injury
than the uppers. It seems probable that
tho comparative immunity of the uppers is
due to the oily dressing used in the fin
ishing processes. They do not, however,
entirely escape, for they nre occasionally
found bored by the larva or roughened
or eroded by the beetle.
The work of tho larvae, both young and
full grown, consists In booring smooth,
round channels In every direction through
the leather, preferring, as above stated,
i the coles and heels. A favorite place for
entering the shoe Is in the angle between
the sole and heel, or in the crevice be-
tween the upper and the sole, crack OF
some kind seeming to DO necessary to
enable them to get sufficient purchase to
begin boring.
l The principal occupation of the adult
beetle Is the propagation Of the species,
l vet IL also is leather destroyer, gnawing
and scoring the surface of the boot or
shoe, but not burrowing bodily into its
| substance.
Professor Riley states that when the
insect has already made an entrance into
cases of boots and shoes, 1t will not DO
difficult matter to destroy it by proper
use of bisulphide of carbon. OF course,
| It would be preferable 10 overhaul the
contents of each box thoroughly, and to
treat the boots In which the insect is
found with benzine or some other effica-
cious insecticide; but, where this cannot
be done without too great expense, 1t will
probably suffice to open each case and
place an open saucer of the bisulphide on
top of the contents The liquid will
| volatilize, and the vapor will sink down
through the mass, if the box be tight,
and will kill the insects In their burrows.
AS the natural home Of the insect is in
hides, it devolyes upon transportation
companies that carry both made up leather
goods and hides to exercise some degree
of care and cleanliness, us they are other
wise liable 30 lay themselves open to
damages payable to the owners Of the
more expensive goods.-Scientific Ameri-
can.